Recommended by Zach Barr

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    Kang's genius lies in genuinely asking the audience to listen: major plot points pass in only a word or two, encouraging a close attention to even the smallest details. A bitingly incisive script about how we justify circumstances that fate pushed us into – turning them retroactively into personal decisions, in order to live with a difficult past. How our understanding of the present shapes our judgement of history, and who benefits when a rich culture deems a poor culture worth preserving.

    Kang's genius lies in genuinely asking the audience to listen: major plot points pass in only a word or two, encouraging a close attention to even the smallest details. A bitingly incisive script about how we justify circumstances that fate pushed us into – turning them retroactively into personal decisions, in order to live with a difficult past. How our understanding of the present shapes our judgement of history, and who benefits when a rich culture deems a poor culture worth preserving.

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    A surrealist, Epic Theatre take on an oft-buried part of Chicago's history, Barsanti's furious, raunchy play keeps its tongue in its cheek and its heart on its sleeve. The story undergirding the play's ridiculous turns remains surprisingly timely, with questions about land ownership and self-delusion that still resonate. Ironically, by wallowing in filth, it made me see my city and its people as even more beautiful.

    A surrealist, Epic Theatre take on an oft-buried part of Chicago's history, Barsanti's furious, raunchy play keeps its tongue in its cheek and its heart on its sleeve. The story undergirding the play's ridiculous turns remains surprisingly timely, with questions about land ownership and self-delusion that still resonate. Ironically, by wallowing in filth, it made me see my city and its people as even more beautiful.

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    Muller is one of the most unsparing writers working today, in her portrayal of female pain, sorrow, and unapologetic need. "littlespace" draws you in with its endearing cast and its heavy themes of women's perspectives being ignored, then begins to slowly twist the knife in fascinating ways. I read the climax through my fingers, my heart pounding as the dominos Muller set up fell expertly into place. A true gem of a script all around. Produce it yesterday.

    Muller is one of the most unsparing writers working today, in her portrayal of female pain, sorrow, and unapologetic need. "littlespace" draws you in with its endearing cast and its heavy themes of women's perspectives being ignored, then begins to slowly twist the knife in fascinating ways. I read the climax through my fingers, my heart pounding as the dominos Muller set up fell expertly into place. A true gem of a script all around. Produce it yesterday.

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    I'm in awe of the breadth of this play, how enormous it allows its story and themes to grow, and how unapologetic its trans characters are given space to be. A play about the cyclical nature of apocalypse, and how the world we know ending can be just as difficult as surviving whatever comes after. Enormous opportunities in production for creative stagecraft, to bring these impossible moments to life. Funny and chilling in equal measure.

    I'm in awe of the breadth of this play, how enormous it allows its story and themes to grow, and how unapologetic its trans characters are given space to be. A play about the cyclical nature of apocalypse, and how the world we know ending can be just as difficult as surviving whatever comes after. Enormous opportunities in production for creative stagecraft, to bring these impossible moments to life. Funny and chilling in equal measure.

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    A story about the severity of stories themselves: how they can trap and free us, how telling them can be a child's joy and an adult's burden, how inevitable it is that we view our own lives as little narratives that we inhabit. Gwynn drives a fascinating divide between the limiting nature of stories and the escape of telling and retelling them, with an ending that is emotionally satisfying while being necessarily, insistently, blissfully open-ended. I can't wait to see it creatively staged.

    A story about the severity of stories themselves: how they can trap and free us, how telling them can be a child's joy and an adult's burden, how inevitable it is that we view our own lives as little narratives that we inhabit. Gwynn drives a fascinating divide between the limiting nature of stories and the escape of telling and retelling them, with an ending that is emotionally satisfying while being necessarily, insistently, blissfully open-ended. I can't wait to see it creatively staged.

  • Zach Barr: Eelpout by Paul William Kruse
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    It's been a while since a play's language alone made me laugh out loud this hard. But even that's not doing justice to the absurdist, heartfelt, slippery-as-a-salmon plot that Kruse has concocted – which might be a metaphor about being transgender, or a screed asking men to admit their homoerotic leanings, or maybe just how isolated we all are, casting our lines out and hoping to reel in genuine connection. Sven may feel like they were born wrong, but I foresee a long life for "Eelpout!"

    It's been a while since a play's language alone made me laugh out loud this hard. But even that's not doing justice to the absurdist, heartfelt, slippery-as-a-salmon plot that Kruse has concocted – which might be a metaphor about being transgender, or a screed asking men to admit their homoerotic leanings, or maybe just how isolated we all are, casting our lines out and hoping to reel in genuine connection. Sven may feel like they were born wrong, but I foresee a long life for "Eelpout!"

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  • Zach Barr: The Targeted by Hanna Kime
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    Kime's play achieves a difficult goal: empathizing with the real fear experienced by conspiracy theorists, while still holding their mindset up to scrutiny. Mia's struggle to withhold judgement and truly listen to the TI's contrasts dramatically with Rhonda's destructive unwillingness to bend even for a second, even for her ostensible allies. A play about victimhood, and about how self-identifying as "powerless" can be, perversely, a way to gain power over everyone else. Produce it everywhere!

    Kime's play achieves a difficult goal: empathizing with the real fear experienced by conspiracy theorists, while still holding their mindset up to scrutiny. Mia's struggle to withhold judgement and truly listen to the TI's contrasts dramatically with Rhonda's destructive unwillingness to bend even for a second, even for her ostensible allies. A play about victimhood, and about how self-identifying as "powerless" can be, perversely, a way to gain power over everyone else. Produce it everywhere!

    ”
  • Zach Barr: BOTH by Paloma Nozicka
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    A skin-crawling play with the logic of a nightmare, BOTH gives the audience just enough information to side with its staunch protagonist, while removing many of the details that would keep them from dismissing the family's perspective completely. In a time where honesty is held up as an unassailable virtue, this play dares to ask whether "the whole truth" can harm more than it heals – and whether that harm is worth feeling anyway. Well served by a stellar world premiere at Teatro Vista.

    A skin-crawling play with the logic of a nightmare, BOTH gives the audience just enough information to side with its staunch protagonist, while removing many of the details that would keep them from dismissing the family's perspective completely. In a time where honesty is held up as an unassailable virtue, this play dares to ask whether "the whole truth" can harm more than it heals – and whether that harm is worth feeling anyway. Well served by a stellar world premiere at Teatro Vista.

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  • Zach Barr: Let Me Let Me Rot by kanishk pandey
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    Gentle and elegiac, LET ME LET ME ROT weighs questions of self-loathing, digital isolation, and the erotic nature of mortality. The sparse scenes keep the play moving quickly, but all of the isolated moments between Mangal and Death feel richly drawn, inviting further consideration of the audience's own tendencies towards connection and/or isolation. Ultimately, a love story, of a sort.

    Gentle and elegiac, LET ME LET ME ROT weighs questions of self-loathing, digital isolation, and the erotic nature of mortality. The sparse scenes keep the play moving quickly, but all of the isolated moments between Mangal and Death feel richly drawn, inviting further consideration of the audience's own tendencies towards connection and/or isolation. Ultimately, a love story, of a sort.

    ”
  • Zach Barr: Stories in Mother Tongues by Deepak Kumar
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    Much like any family history, Kumar's play appears simple at first, before revealing complications that grow variously frightening and heartening as the evening goes on. A sci-fi, combat-heavy, fourth-wall-obliterating take on intergenerational relationships, centered on an engaging and funny bond between Paati and Giri, and prickly questions about who shoulders the burdens of keeping a family's culture alive. It's campy entertainment. It's searing family drama. Magically, it's both at once.

    Much like any family history, Kumar's play appears simple at first, before revealing complications that grow variously frightening and heartening as the evening goes on. A sci-fi, combat-heavy, fourth-wall-obliterating take on intergenerational relationships, centered on an engaging and funny bond between Paati and Giri, and prickly questions about who shoulders the burdens of keeping a family's culture alive. It's campy entertainment. It's searing family drama. Magically, it's both at once.

    ”